The Sun. — London, England, 1864-06-25 00:00:00

HOUSE OF LORDS—Last Evening, The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack ai 5 o'clock. CONVOCATION. Lord HOUGHTON gave notice that on Tuesday net he should ask a question regarding the powers of the Con. vocation of the province of Canterbury. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a second time :—Metropoli tan and St. John's-wood Railway—Shrewsbury and Welchpool Railway—Belfast Improvement—Nantwich and Market Drayton Railway —Bristol Port and Channel Docks—London and South Western Railway (North Devon Ext ension.) The following bills were read a third time and passed : Sunningdale and Cambridge Town Railway, and Argyle shire Roads. SLAVE TRADE. Lord BROUGHAM gave notice that on Tuesday he would call attention and express his high approbation of the course pursued by the Government of Brazil in totally abolishing the slave trade. THE ROYAL ACADEMY. Earl STANHOPE called the attention of the house to the present position of the Royal A cademy, and asked what further steps with respect to it were in contemplation by the Government. He took the opportunity of referring at length to the present state of the National Gallery and the Royal Academy, the complaints of artists with re spect to the bad display of their works, and various other subjects, all of which, he said, was occasioned by the present inadequate space of the existing building. He regretted the decision the House of Commons had arrived at the other evening, and hoped he should hear some satisfactory explanation from the noble earl, the President of the Council, as to the future intentions of the Government. Lord ST. LEONARDS concurred with the Royal Ate- demicians in thinking that it was not desirable to introduce a lay element into the academy. He did not think that it would promote the harmonious action of the body. At present they possessed the confidence of the public, and they had deserved it. With regard to the propositions of the commissioners in respect to the associates, he must say that he thought they went too far, and that they would have the effect of injuriously diminishing the power and privileges of the academicians. He hoped that the Go vernment would consider well before they imposed upon the Royal Academy any conditions which were unacceptable to that body. Lord TAUNTON said that the one great boon that the Government could :confer upon the Royal Academy, and upon the art of the country, was to provide an adequate site for the exhibition of the national pictures, and of those of the Royal Academy. So long as that was done, he cared little whether the Royal Academy was placed in possession of the present building in Trafalgar-square, or w;:re left to erect a new building for itself in the gardens of Burlington House, although he confessed that he should prefer the farmer plan. He deprecated Government interference with the constitution and administration of the Royal Academy, and hoped that the adoption of any particular rules would not be imposed upon that body as a condition of their re ceiving the grant of a site. Lord HOUGHTON said it seemed strange that the Royal Academy, which had done its duty loyally to the country for nearly a hundred years, should be unpopular in any assembly of Englishmen. It certainly seemed to him that there never were censures more unfounded than those which had been passed upon that body, In that house he believed that they were unanimous in desiring that the Academy should continue to exist, and to discharge the functions which it had hitherto done. He did not think that any conditions distasteful to them should be forced upon them as a condition of their receiving a site for a build ing. At the same time, he confessed that he was sur prised at the opposition made by the academicians to the reception of a lay element. From such an element the Academy owed its rise; and he believed that its presence in the Academy would be very useful. He thought that the academicians were quite right in objecting to the associates having votes. A substantial difference should be maintained between the two ranks. The Duke of RUTLAND desired to impress upon the Government the necessity of taking immediate steps to pro vide adequate accommodation both for the National Gallery and the Royal Academy. No time ought to be lost in meet ing this great public want. Atter some observations from Lord HARDINGE, Lord OVERSTONE deprecated the Government or Parliament meddling with the details of the Royal Academy. He did not think that any good would arise from the intro duction of a lay element into that body. He trusted that no time would be lost in providing proper accommodation for the National Gallery. Ho regretted that the House of Commons had rejected the plan for erecting a new National Gallery on the gardens of Burlington House. If that had been carried out we should have had galleries superior to those possessed by any other country in Europe. Earl GRANVILLE said it was impossible not to feel that the Royal Academy was a body of great public utility. It was that conviction which led the Government to appoint the commission which had been presided over by the noble earl opposite. That commission had reported last year, and their report had been sent by the Home Secretary to the Royal Academy. The reply of that body was now under the consideration of the Government. In reply to the noble earl opposite, he had to state that the Government had felt it their duty to bow submissively to the vote of the House of Commons, rejecting tho proposition to build a now National Gallery on the gardens of Burlington House. They were now engaged in considering a plan for providing the requisite accommodation in conformity with what seemed to be the wish of the House of Commons, that the National Gallery should remain in Trafalgar-square. He should be sorry to see the Government or Parliament in terfere in the details of the administration of the Royal Academy. But, on the other hand, he did not see why, when they were giving that body increased facilities, by the grant of a new site or otherwise, they should not by friendly negotiation, endeavour to obtain the assent of the Academy to such a popularisation of their constitution as would be acceptable to the public and to artists generally. That done, the best way would be to leave the Royal Aeademy to manage its own affairs. The subject then dropped. In answer to a question from Lord RAVENS WORTH, Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY ascribed the imper fect working of the Act for the suppression of nuisances caused by noxious vapours from certain manufactories to the short time the law had been in operation. The lordships adjourned at half past 7. HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening, The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a third time and passed : Port Glasgow Harbour—South London Market—and Can nock Chase and 'Wolverhampton Railway. POLICE IN ST. JAMES'S PARK. Mr J. HARDY asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it was the fact that the police are not employed in St. Tarnea's-park as they are in the Green park and other parks ; and, if 80 ) why that was the case and, whether frequent complaints have been made to the Home Office of the proceedings which take place from want of police supervision in St. James's -park? Sir G. GREY said that ever since 1810 the or:th iary police had not been employed in the enclosure of 8,;,. J amas Park, as that Park was under the control of tb.. Pirst Com. missioner of Public Works. The park-kee'Are w ere morn, and exercised the functions of the polf.'4e in the p arks, and he had not heard of any complaint owing to the absence of the regular police. INTERCOLONIAL RAF WAY iN THE NORTH. _ . --• AMERICPIS. Mr ADDERLEY eked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether correspondence had been renewed be tween the North American provinces and the Imperial Government on the subject of their application for assist ance in raising a loan for an intercolonial railway; and, if so, whether Parliament will be fully informed and consulted before any promise is made of an Imperial guarantee. Mr CARD WELL said he should be happy to lay on the table any papers in possession of Government on the subject, but there had been no new correspondence with Government in reference to the matter. THE RIE A RSAGE. Mr CORRY asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Admiralty would object to send a com petent agent to Cherbourg to examine and report on the mode adopted to strengthen the sides of the Bearsage against sb.'ot and shell, as described by Captain Semmes in his lett-ar which appeared in yesterday's Times? Lord C. PAGET said that the vessel was in this coun try in dock, and therefore all information relative to her could be obtained. TRANSIT OP TROOPS TO THE WEST INDIES. Mr DALOLISFI asked the Secreta r y t o th e Ad m i ra l ty whether it was true that the transport which conveys the troops from Cape Coast Castle to the West Indies is likely to pass through a belt of 600 miles, in which only calms anti light winds may be expected ; and if the mean limit of the north-east trade wind in AuF,nst is now considered to be in the I3th degree of north latitude? Lord C. PAGET read a report of the hydrographer of the Royal. Navy, m indirect taxation of this country, th e E xc i se on ma l t re quired consideration. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUE ,t agreed to the propriety of the resolution in the abstract, but said it would be unadvisable to pledge the house to ar y particular t course of action in dealing with the remiaii ,r of a specific impost. The arguments he (the Chanee of the Ex chequer) used in reference to the retention of the malt duty were founded on present circumstances, and had no reference to future legislation on this subject. If a Government had a surplus at its disposal no doubt it should be applied to the remission of duties on ' excisable articles, but a right of preference should be conceded which would enable the Government and Parliament to make remissions in a direc tion that would be oppressible, but which would not be felt in regard to some particular com modity. The hon. member had contended that this duty was a mill stone round the neck of the agriculturist, but what was the fact ? Why the duty on spirits was between £4OO and £5OO per cent., and Ireland and Scotland were pressed on more severely than England, because spirits and not beer or ale formed the national drink of the country. With regard to any amount at the future disposal of Government, they could not pledge themselves to its specific application, and he trusted that the house would decline to embarrass itself by any pledge. Lord J. MANNERS agreed that it was impossible to deny that the malt tax operated injuriously on the producer of barley. This grievance was admitted, and yet, strange to say, there was no attempt made to redress that griev ance. It had been said well by the right honourable member for Oxford (Mr Henley) that beer was to the poor man what wine was to the rich man, and he contended by analogy that if they reduced the duty on the latter, they should have done the same with the former. (Hear.) He contended that a fallacy lay at the root of a por ' tion of tharight hon. gentleman's theory, namely, that wheu theduty on beer was reduced it would have the effect of di minishing the consumption of spirits, and therefore injure the finances of the country. The right hon. gentleman quoted statistics in support of his argument. After a few observations by Mr P. URQUHART, Mr NEATE, who had placed upon the paper an amend ment which he was precluded by form from moving, made its allegations the substance of his argument against the resolution—namely, that the owners and occupiers of land, by reason of immunities from taxation, and the comparative lightness of the burdens to which they are subject, are not entitled to any priority of consideration on any review of the taxation. Mr NEWDEGATE briefly supported the resolution, which was negatived upon a division by 166 to 118. Mr D. SEYMOUR called attention to the system pursued of removing paupers and persons under sentence of banishment from Jersey to the seaports of England, especially Southampton ; and asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he had received any report upon the subject from the Lieutenant-Governor of Jersey Sir G. GREY offered to lay upon the table papers upon the subject. Mr MAGUIRE inquired the intentions of the Attorney- General for Ireland regarding the promised bill for regu lating and reforming the Irish Court of Admiralty. Mr O'HAGAN said a bill was in preparation, and no time would be lost in proceeding with the matter, The house then went into Committee of Supply pro forma, and afterwards into committee upon the Inland Revenue (Stamp Duties) Bill, after a short explanation by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, a clause was added to the bill fin' the payment of taxes in Scotland by means of Post-office orders. The house then went into committee upon the Chimney Sweepers Regulation Bill, the clauses of which were agreed to. Mr COWPER, in moving the second reading of the Cranbourne-strect Bill, explained its object and the finan cial details connected with it. Mr A. SMITH suggested that the bill be referred to a select committee in order that the facts alleged in the preamble should be inquired into. The bill was read a second time. The Weighing of Grain (Port of London) Bill passed the commitee. COURT OF CHANCERY (IRELAND) BILL. On the order for going into committee upon the Court of Chancery (Ireland) Bill, Mr LONGFIELD moved that the bill be referred to a select committee, stating the reasons why he had not made this motion, of which he had previously given notice, on Tuesday, when he was present. Ho insisted that a bill like this, containing 192 clauses, which he denounced as a job, designed to increase patronage, could only be properly dealt with in a select committee. In showing how the bill originated, he gave a long and amusing history of the attempts at Irish Chancery reform ; and he undertook to predict that three of the members of the last Royal Com mission would be provided for under the bill, which, in etead of diminishing, would, he said, increase cost and ex penditure. The amendment was seconded by Colonel DUNNE. Mr HUNT protested against the course taken by the promoters of the bill. The decision of the committee on Tuesday showed an unwillingness to proceed further with the bill, and, according to the ordinary practice, it should have been dropped, Ho suggested that the bill had better be withdrawn. Mr. O'HAGAN reminded the house of the position in which he stood in reference to this bill, which was introduced in order to carry out the recommendations of a Royal Com mission of the highest authority, and upon which it was the duty of the Government to act. The bill had been fully dis cussed upon the second reading, and most of its clauses were clauses in the English bill. If, after the adoption of the principle of the bill—which, ho repeated, would reduce ex pense—the house thought fit ,to reject the measure, he should not be responsible and could not help it. Mr WHITESIDE, after an argument of some length upon the matter of order in relation to the past history of the bill, proceeded to discuss the merits of the bill, which was, he said, a crude measure, and he objected especially to the system of the chief clerks and to the proposed construc tion of the Court. There was no evidence, he observed, on the vital question of cost—and he repeated that the cost of the new system would be greater by one-third than the pre sent. It would be much wiser, in his opinion, to postpone this measure till next session, and in the meantime to sub mit it to the Master of the Rolls in Ireland and a Judge of the Landed Estates Court. Mr LONGFIELD having withdrawn his amendmerei, Mr W HITESIDE moved to defer the committee foe three months. Mr BU IT supported the principle of the expressing his astonishment at the reception it had reset with. Mr GEORGE supported the amen ;went. Upon a division, Mr WHITESID'S amendment was ne gatived by 51 to 49. Mr VANCE thought the, considering the narrow ma jority, another opportun',..7 should be given to the house to determine whether it should go into committee upon the bill. He moved f lat the debate be adjourned. After a short discussion, upon a division, this motion as negatived 1)-4, 56 to 51. C:OLLINS moved that the house do adjourn. T'eict discussion was renewed, and ultimately th e mo ti on 1 .. r adjournment was negatived by 56 to 53. The adjournment of the debate was tb.'en moved by Mr. LYGON. Lord PALMERSTON asseeited, and the debate was accordingly adjourned. The other orders of 'the day were then proceeded with, and the house adjourned at 1 o'clock. THE METROPOLITAN BOARD OP WORKS.--The usual the weekly meeting of this Board was held yesterday at Coffices in Spring-gardens are s —the chairman, Mr J. " mi tes, presiding. Th e first important business which before the Board was to consider tenders which had been made to execute the eastern portion of the Northern Low Level B awer. Th ere was a short discussion as to the policy of opening the contracts in p u bli c , b ut i t was agreed they should be a° °Petted, They were as follows :—Messrs. T. Mr A. Bras W. sey RitsonCo, 42 58,000—Mr T. P earson, £ 265,500 (the contractor for the sec on d port i on o f 1;3 the Thames Embankment), __ 37, 499—Mr G. Fur ness (th e contractor portion of th e Th ames Embankment 259,0 for3ir the.w first ), Moxon, £247,840 —Mr W. Dethick, 0o edBctheaot 44309 ,746—Mr W. Webst er , x £ 2 2 2 3 9 3 :o o oo oo . —M lt e w ss a r s s T ca h r o r m i ge tenders should be con sidered in committee of the whole B oard. When the public were re-admitted, Mr Carpmael brou g h t up a report from moving that this the committee, recommending that Mr . Webster's (the lowest) tender should be taken, and, ut expressed the report should be adopted, Mr Carp . m aei Board's satisfaction with the works which lir Webster had carried out. The motion was agreed to stem. A report was brought up from the Streets' Co mmittee . recommend ing that certain lands should be acquired to form a p ar k for Southwark,and the question was discussed with closed doors. It was agreed that the report should be adopted, ancl;tbat the finance committee should have the power to negotiate a loan for the purposes of the Act. Several thoroughfares were ordered to be renumbered, with the odd numbers on one side and the even on th e other, and the various sub sidiary names in Englefield-road, and Englefield-road west, Islington; in Middleton-road, Hackney; in Mayne-street, Bethnal-green, and in the thoroughfare known by the name of Arundel and Albi on - s t reet, in Camden-street, and in Temple-street, of the same parish, were ordered to be abolished, and the thoroughfares called by the first names. A great deal of routine business of no general public im portance was transacted, and the board adjourned, [ ADV ERTISEMENT.]—HoIIoway's Pills. Convincing Proofs. —The personal experience of multitudes, extending over the last 30 years, leaves no doubt that this medicine surpasses all others in its purifying and corrective qualities. When any epidemic prevails, Holloway's Pills are the roost proper aperient th a t can be prescribed, because they pain t' remove all accumulations, without depriving the:suf fercr of healthy constitutional power. The young and deli • cate may.take these pills without difficult, disgust or danger; and they will prove th e b est preservative against smallpox and all erupti ve fevers, typhoid, and bilious complaints. This remedy should at once be resorted to when pains in the limbs and loins,"giddiness, nausea, and thirst give warn ing of the approach of some Worse than ordinary ailment. NAVAL ENSIGNS. Mr HANKEY (in the absence of Mr Crawford) asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether any steps bad b een taken towards granting the privilege of bearing the blue ensign to merchant vessels commanded and partly manned by officers and men of the Royal Naval Reserve. L , rd C. PAGET said that in future the blue ensign would be allowed to merchant vessels. ARMY SANATORY REGULATIONS. --- Sir H. VERNEY asked the Unaer Secretary of State for War whether the sanatory regulations for field service, issued by th. Secretary of State, were obeyed before the army took the field for the Ashantee war ? The Marquis of HARTINGTON was understood to answer in the affirmative. THE EXCISE ON MALT. On the order for going into committee of supply, lylr MORRITT, in an able speech, moved a resolution to the effect that, in the event of any modification of the tHE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE 25, 1864. DENMARK, (From the Times Special Correspondent,) COPENHAGEN, June 21. Yesterday was a day of great anxiety for Copena hagen, a day which might have turned out more fatal for Denmark than either the abandonment of the Dannewerk or the fall of Dybbol. You are aware that on Wednesday last the Danish Minister at the Court of St. Petersburg, Baron Otto von Plessen, a Holsteiner, and the brother of one of the great leaders of the Holstein Ritterschaft in the present antiaDanish movement , arrived somewhat unexpectedly at Copenhagen, and was said to be the bearer of a Russian de spatch, intimating the Czar's resolution to take up the cause of Denmark, and to oppose any measure that could be adopted by the London Conference in opposition to the Treaty of 1852 and to the integrity of the Danish Monarchy. The Russian note was afterwards said to have reached Copenhagen, not from St. Petersburg, but from London, and to bear the signature not of Prince Gortschakoff, but of Baron Brunnow. From whatever channel it may have been transmitted, this important document, it was said, was laid by the King before the Council of Ministers on the following day, Thursday. It is added that the King advised that a favourable ear should be given to the Russian proposal; that the Minis ters, more or less unanimously, declared that a personal union of the Duchies with the Danish provinces, by submitting Schleswig as well as Hol stein to the Protectorate of the German Confes deracy, would strike a deathblow to the real in dependence of Denmark ; that it would establish in the country a dualism which would render any Government a sheer impossibility; but that, were it even practicable or advisable, such a step would be so unpopular with the Danes that no Mir' could be found willi ng t o appen d h i s narr treaty. For th e i r own part, t h e to the pree:„ l Afi„l atcn , declared that upon th e King entertaining suc h 'de signs they could not re ma i n i office for a m omen t. The King dismissed b'as Ministers for th a t d ay, adjourning the discueaton to the ensuing Monday (yesterday). Yeaierday, at 11 a.m., Bishop Moored saw his Majesty, and again signified his own and his colleagues' determination to resign sooner than even enter into any deliberation as to the Russian note. The resignation of the Ministers was ac cepted, and the King meditated the formation of a new Cabinet, of which the following gentle men were to be the chief members :—Count Sponnek, who was to be recalled from Greece ; M. Bluhme, who was for some time at the head of the Government, and who is looked upon as the leader of the Conservative party ; and Baron von Plessen, the Danish Minister at St. Petersburg, bearer of the Russian despatch. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon, however, the King recalled M. Mon red, and announced that he had changed his mind, and was ready to reject the Russian proposal. Such were the rumours that were circulated yes terday about Copenhagen, and which, in the main, found their utterance in a most minute and circum. stantial narrative in the Dagblad, the organ of the Eider-Dane, or ultra-national party. Both that paper and the Fadreland, the journal of the Scandi navian sympathisers, commented in no measured terms upon the news thus brought to light, and made the most violent appeal to the most popularpassions. In the evening the Berlanske Tidende, the semi official paper of the Government, flatly denied the whole transaction and stigmatised it as a gross fa Sri. cation. There had nev er b een a wor d sa id a gout the retirement of the Ministers, no diss'ant whatever between the King and hi s Council no scheme of a personal union, no Russian no :e to that effect. The friends of the Dagb!zd and Fadre/anddo not give up the point. They assert that What they stated was the st,ictest truth; th at t h e scheme was really entertained by the Court in opposition to the Cabinet, and that it was only abandoned when tte King became aware of the danger to which his *resolution could not fail to give rise. Had aot the Berlinske Tidende to clearly signified that the Ministerial crisis had passed, nothing, they say, would have prevented Copenhagen from becoming the scene of a revolutionary outbreak last evening. The Danes are apt to lose all temper on the mere mention of a " Copenhagen mob;" but they aver that, had the King persevered in his course, the whole nation would have risen like one man. As it was, they congratulate themselves that the mere threat brought the King to his senses, and that in this instance " Le peuple a vaincu son Roi." To an impartial and unconcerned stranger all this is inexpressibly painful. In the first place, it is evident that, no matter who the liar may be, an abominable lie was yesterday spoken and written in Denmark; and it is hard for any one who hap made himself a voucher for the veracity as well as many other moral qualities of the Danish people, to have to acknowledge that under the influence of strong political animosity the Danes are as apt to prevari cate as their neighbours. In the second place, it is not without regret that one can see even a party of the Danish people ex press so unfavourable an opinion of their Sovereign. I can ce.ndidly state that many upright and sound mitrled persons here do the fullest justice to the private virtues of the King and the Royal family; that they firmly believe his Majesty to be strongly influenced by the best wishes for the welfare of his country, and deem him utterly incapable of acting otherwise than in the way that Ile deems most conducive to its real inte:,eats. That the r,ed King most of the King is a thoronghl y Danes at the present r. aoment firmly hold. But were it otherwise, coui.d' the worst faults be i m p u t e d to him, the Dares ought to be strongly impressed with the of that saying—" Que Dieu nous en "7,..1 de bons rois, car, quand on les a, it faut les garder tels galls sont." It is the great curse of nations when they withdraw from a contest in which they have unskilfully or unsuccessfully fought, to aggravate the calamities of a foreign war by the excesses of a civil strife. I was and am still disposed to hope for better things from Denmark. "To conquer one's King" is always a poor boast for the most violent parties. The safety of the Danish monarchy can only rest on the most perfect and cordial accord between the throne and the people. In the third place, admitting for a moment that Russia had actually proposed to save Denmark by a scheme of a personal union, and that the King had really entertained such a proposal, it may be lawful to question whether his Majesty thereby may not have contemplated doing the very best that can, under circumstances, be contrived for the welfare of Denmark. The London Conference will soon come to the end of its labours, and within four or five days the Dano-German question may have to be once more deferred to the arbitrament of the sword. All that the Conference had been able to achieve for Denmark was a vague project by which about two-thirds of its territory were to be ceded to the foreign aggressor. Even the scheme for a parti tion 9f Schleswig foundered against the difficulties to trace a line of demarcation which might prove satisfactory to either party. Had even the line been fixed in obedience to the wishes of the Danish Plenipotentiaries, had even such a line secured for Denmark the Schlei, the Dannewerke, the Treene, and the Eider, it is impossible not to see that such an arrangement would have accomplished the political, financial, commercial, and naval ruin of this kingdom. The Danes, the Eider Danes at least, were only anxious about their nationality, b ut althou g h a man li ves not by bread alone, he lives by b read to a great extent, aed the construe. tion of a n Eider ship canal by the Germans would have struck a very fatal blow to the prosperity of Be fore Soundth eaonfeCsobpyenthhaer g i en ow a n nd ae o t f all Denmark. to marpka.rtlei will not say with the whole or part of Schleswig, Holstein—they ought to think t w i ce andbut even tisr with thrice about it, and it is natural that such an arrangement should cause serious apprehensions to foreign Powers. The Danes hold now a very firm belief that they showed great wisdom in accepting the proposed par tition cf Schleswig, because they were sure that no rational line of frontier would ever satisfy the Ger mans : that the latter would tb,us place them• selves altogether in the wrong, and that the mediating Powers, especially England, would be bound to enter the field in the Danes' behalf upon the inevitable outbreak or new That on the 26th inst. England and Denmark will be seen fighting side by aide is a matter about which the Eider Danes profess to entertain no doubt whatever. I may have my own opinion about that matter, and shall certainly not peculate as to what might turn out for the benefit of the Danes, were they in the end to succeed in involving all Europe in their quarrel with their German neighbours; but of a certainty, if their hones were again to be disap pointed, and if they were once more to find them selves alone in the struggle, they may have oc casion to regret that the alleged proposal of Russia for a personal union should be allowed to fall to the ground, or that the King, if really so disposed, had it not in his power to carry on a negotiation on such terms. The safety of Denmark, since 1848, has been rested upon the chances of a thorough conquest of Hol stein. The Danes thought they could only repel the tide of invading Germanism by so nationalising Schleswig that the latter Duchy might be used to hold the former in check and under subjection. Without Holstein it is hardly possible to hold Schleswig ; and without the latter, Denmark hers self, we are told, can hardly stand. It remains to be seen whether both territories can be saved for Denmark, either upon the terms of a good understanding and alliance with Germany, or in sheer despite and defiance of Germany. I bel; either combination may b e attempted w . -eve either by introducing the whole success, r :::c ' Denmark as a Kingdom and 4:ne Duchies, an Cr Aifederacy, or by este bmleismbbinegr s o u f eh th t e er G m e s rm o: personal union between the under Russian, En g. lisp, or . -r e;uropean guarantees, as would ecreen penal:Ark from the encroachments of the Frankfort T . L Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce. The annual meeting of this society took place yesterday, at Willis's Rooms, for the purpose of presenting prises to the successful candidates in the several departments of en terprise indicated by the comprehensive title of the society. Three o'clock was the time appointed for commencing the proceedings, but as it was announced that hie Royal High ness the Prince of Wales, president of the society, would take the chair, the largest room at Willie's was filled an hour before the specified time. Among those on the platform we observed the Archbishop of York, the Marquis of Salisbury, Sir F. Crossley, Bart., ALP., Sir J. Paxton, M.P., Sir J. Pakington, M.P., Sir C. W. Dilke, Bart., Admiral Belcher, Lieut-General Knollys, and Mr Wm, Hawes, one of the vice-presidents of the society. At three o'clock precisely the Prince of Wales, with the punctuality so characteristic of the reigning family, ap peared on the platform, and was greeted with enthusiastic cheers, which his Royal Highness gratefully acknowledged. The Prince having taken the chair, Mr HAWES said it devolved on him, by virtue of the office he held as chairman of the council, to state the object of the meeting, which was honoured by the presence of his Royal Highness and so large a number of the members of the so defy, For about 100 years the society had endeavoured to remunerate by medals and other tokens of honour those who had endeavoured to advance science,:arts, and commerce. The study of the p o lit e arta had been encouraged among the higher classes of s oc i ety ; and iee the performance o f th a t agreeable duty, oth er soc i etieLe having stepped in, this to ociety was now devoting its et ..cention to the promotion of the same objects among tb other classes. The society had endea ducts voured to re• *e -mote commerce by collecting a ll ki n d s o f pro- A _ _tom various quarters of the glob e . I n ar t s, sc i ence, rd manufactures distinguished individuals would receive prizes which would do credit to themselves and the country, He would now ask the Archbishop of York to introduce those who had during the past year taken prizes in the edu cational department. The Archbishop of YORK said there were 1,100 candidates last year, and as the competition was open to all corners the greater honour was due to the successful candidates. Much of the success of the society was due to the fostering care and unvarying interest taken in it by the late Prince Con sort. (Cheers.) He had given a prize to the person who for the last three years bad taken the largest number of first class certificates. About 34 young gentlemen were then introduced to the Prince of Wales, and received prizes from him for profi ciency, respectively, in arithmetic, book-keeping, algebra, chemistry, mensuration, geometry, animal physiology, conic sections, practical mechanics, magnetism, electricity, astro nomy, botany, agriculture, miningand metallurgy, domestic economy, geography, English history, logic and mental science, English literature, French, German, freehand drawing, geometrical drawing and music. The Prince Consort's prize of 25 guines for having, in the present and three preceding years, obtained the largest number of first class certificates was awarded to Mr. J. Allan. His successful studies comprise logic, English history, English literature, arithmetic, book-keeping, geo graphy, magnetian, electricity, domestic economy, and eni mal physiology, and in each he took a first class certificate. The Marquis of SALISBURY then introduced John Birch, Eeq., architect, wlo was presented with £25 and the society's silver medal, for :he best design for a labourer's cottage. There were 107 ccmpetitors for this prize. The Swiney Prize, consisting of a silver cup of the value of £lOO, with gold coin in it to the same amount, awarded every fifth year, pursuant to the will of the late Dr Swiney, to the author of the best published treatise on jurisprudence, was awarded tc Henry Sumner Maine, LL.D. (late pro fessor of civil law in the University of Cambridge, and now member of the Legislative Council of India), for his work on Ancient Law. The prize, owing to Mr Maine's absence, was presented to his brother. The winners of the Art Workmanship Prizes were next presented. They were 21in number, and their performances ranged over a great variety of ornamental work, modelling in metals, repousse work, carving in ivory, chasing, paint ing, &e. They were present e d b y Si r F . C ross l ey, M . P . The society's medal for th e di scovery o f an d b r i ng i ng under the notice of the Society of Arts, the first imported a substitute for gutta perch a , was presente d to W m . W a lk er , Eeq., Colonial Secretary of B r i t i s h G u i ana, w h o was intro duced by Mr H. Marsh ; a n d Si r W m. H o l mes , o f B r itish specimens of the balata, a gum from the Sapota MulleH, as Guiana, received a similar reward for the introduction into the commerce of this country of the balata as a substitute for gutta percha. Mr HAWES said they had now to present the Albert gold medal to a gentleman who had done more to promote arts, manufactures, and commerce than any man of the present day. The medal he had to place in the hands of his Royal Highness would commemorate not only the great services rendered to the public by the gentleman to whom it would be presented, bnt the benefits conferred on the society by the patronage of the Prince Consort. It was a gold medal executed by Mr Wyon, and the first prize of the kind. He was happy to state that it would be given to Sir Rowland Hill, the author of postal reform. (Cheers.) His system combined three things —penny postage, prepayment, and the charge by weight. It Was a great social and political reform, of which he had the undivided honour. The number of letters conveyed by post before his system was 75,000,000, now it was 700,000,000. The weight of letters had increased from 700 tons to 5,000 tons, and the number of books sent by post had increased from 5,000 to 12,000,000 annually. The number of letters passing through the post-office in Manchester alone exceeded that of the whole empire of Rus sia. (Cheers.) 34 British colonies, and 45 foreign states had adopted Sir R. Hill's system, and he (Mr Hawes) be lieved that that system would be a great instrument in uniting the nations of the earth in the bonds of friendship. (Hear, hear.) Sir R. Hill then came forward, and The Prince of WALES, in the most gracious manner, said he had great pleasure in presenting this prize to so distin guished a person, The Queen's portrait, which the society also intended to present to Sir Rowland Hill, was not yet completed, but when finished it would be sent to him. Sir R. HILL said be wished to express his thanks for the high honour conferred on him by the award of the society's medal. Under any circumstances this would confer a high distinction, and demand grateful recognition; but that dis tinction was increased by the consideration that the medal awarded was the first that had been presented by his Royal Highness. This medal was precious to him elf (Sir H. Hill) and would be treasured by his family, and in their name as well as his own he begged to tender to his Royal Highness and the council of the society his most respectful and heart felt thanks. (Cheers.) Lord H. LENNox h av i ng b r i e fly proposed a vote of thank s to the Prince of Wal es f or occu pying the chair, His ROYAL HI GHNESS , w h o was loudly applauded on rising, said—My l or d s , l a di es , an d gentlemen, it would be unbecoming in me, after what has fallen from my noble friend, not to say a fcw words in the way of thanking you. When asked to accept the office of President of this society I felt a difficulty, knowing that I should be an unworthy successor of one whose greet object was to encourage arts, manufactures, and commerce. It feel it, however, my duty to do my best, and I shall fie' great gratification in being present on any occasion where my presence can ;in any way contribute to the advantage of the public. (Loud cheers ) I do not think it necessary to say more than wish prosperity to the society. (Cheers.) The proceedings then terminated, and the Prince was loudly cheered as he retired. WEST COAST OF AFRICA MAILS.—The Royal mail steamship Athenian ended to• day with the mails for the West Coast of Africa. Persons in debt may obtain instant protection against imprisonment or seizure of their goods, and an entire release from all debts and liabilities without publicity, by application to Messrs. Marshall, solicitors of the Court of Bankruptcy, Charges under 45 payable by easy instalments. Offices_ (established 1830)42, Hatton-garden. City branch -6, Ittoor gate-street, Bank—ADvT. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. STOCKBRIDGE RACES.—FRIDAY. The Visitors' Plate (handicap) of 100 sovs, added to a Sweepstakes of 5 sovs each, 11 Mr Payne's Olivia, 3 yea, sst .......... (J. Grimshaw) 1 Mr W. D a y' s C a t c h'- em -Ali ve, 5 yrs, Bst 81b (Goater) 2 Sir E. Baker's Hersey filly, 3 yrs, Est (Mordan) 3 Lord Westmoreland's Tattoo, 6 yrs, 7st 71b (S . A d ams) 4 Mr Morris's B a lh am , 6 yrs, st (car. Bst 11b)....(Judd) 5 Lord Uxbridge's General Hess, aged, Bst , ,(French) 0 Betting -2 to 1 agst General Hess, 6to 2 agst 100 to 30 agst Catch-'em-Alive, and 6 to 1 agst any other. Tattoo made running at a strong pace, followed by Ge neral Hess and Balham, the Hersey filly, Olivia, and Catch-'em-Alive lying a couple of lengths in their rear. Half-way up the hill Balham headed the General, and as they rounded the Bush-hill he was passed by Catch-'em- Alive and Olivia, who followed the leaders. In the bottom Tattoo gave way, and left the lead with Catch'-em-Alive, who was headed half-way in the distance by Olivia, and beaten cleverly by a length, three lengths between second and third, a bad fourth. General Hess broke down badly, and did not pass the post, A Sweepstakes of 5 soya each, with 30 added; for 2-yr-olds end upwards. 'Weight for age, with selling allowances. Half a mile. 10 subs, Mr Prr , ) amascus, 6 yrs, Bst 21b (p 30.) .. (Perry) 1 Lord Uxbridg e ' s E ry thi a, 4 yrs, 7st 131 b (160), ch) 2Fren Mr Payne's Col on i s t : co l t, 2 yrs, fist 71b ( g6O) (J. Grinishaw) 3 The following 'also ran :—Hawkshaw, Peignoir, Perse veralce, and Hope. Mordan weighed for Mr W. Day's b. f. Vedette—Tri bute, 2 yrs, 6st 41b, but on her way to the post she bolted and jumped the ropes, throwing her rider, who fortunately escaped with a severe shaking. Betting -5 to 4 agst Damascus, 100 to 30 agst Erythia, and 10 to 1 agst Peignoir. A slight delay occurred at the post in consequence of the accident, and the restiveness of Peignoir and Perseverance. Immediately the flag was lowered Damascus and Erythia slipped their horses and came on with a commanding lead of the Colonist colt and Hawkshaw into the bottom, where the two favourites were left to finish the race. Damascus, who always had the best of it, won in a canter by a length; a dozen lengths separated the second and third—Hawkshaw ',as fcu.tL, ZZvyc fifth, PerFwvprnm, si,th. and Peignoir last. The winner was bought in for 150 guineas. Thn Troy:Stakes of 50 sovs each, h ft, for 2-yr-olds ; colts, Bst 101 b ; fillies, Bst 71b, with certain allowances. Bush in. 40 subs. Mr R. Sutton's Gardevisure, Bst 71b (Thomas) 1 Duke of Beaufort's Kamig, Bst 71b ..(F or dh am ) 2 Lord Coventry' s Tennyson, Bst 71b (J. Adams) 3 The following also ran :—Cordelia, Siberia, Contract, Aline, Shrapnel], and Sylmonton. Batting ---9 to 4 agst Gardevisure, 3to 1 age; Tennyson, 100 to 30 agst Kaenig. At the first attempt Mr Marshall lowered his signal when Siberia to insure a pace rushed to the front and came on with a slight lead, followed on the lower side by Sydmon ton and Cordelia, the favourite lying in the centre, with Tennyson, Kcoaig, Shrapnell, and Aline on the upper ground. They retained their position to the distance, where the two leaders gave way, and the running was taken up by Tennyson, who, however, was headed in a few strides by Gardevisure, followed as they neared the enclosure by Koenig,. From this point the race was reduced to the three, the favourite having slightly the best of it to the stewards' stand, where Fordham made his effort, but failed to got up, and was beaten, after a fine finish, by a head, Koenig defeat ing Tennyson by four lengths for second—Cordelia was fourth, and Shrapnell fifth. The others, who were pulling up as they came past the post, were widely distributed. The Uxbridge Plate (handicap) of 50 sovs, added to a sweep- stakes of 10 soya eacb, b ft, for all ages; Bush in. Mr Hodgman's Confederate, 3 yrs, Gst 121 b.... (Morris) 1 Capt 'W, H. Cooper's Soapstone, 4 yrs, Bst llb (J. Adams) 2 Capt Christie's Lady Clifden, 6 yrs, 9st 51b., (Fordham) 3 Jr T. Hughes's Dolphin, 4 yrs, 7st 121 b (French) 4 Mr H. Goater's Creole, 4 yrs, 7st 1016 (Perry) 5 Lord Uxbridge's Tyke, 3 yrs, Gst 41b .... (J. Grimshaw) 6 Mr Night's Nathal:e, 3 yrs, Gst 71b (H. Sharp) 7 Betting-6 to 4 agst Lady Clifden, 4to 1 agst Soapstone G to 1 agst Dolphin, and 100 to agst Creole. After three failures they got away nearly in a line; Con federate, lying in the centre, made running, with Soap stone, Dolphin, and Lady Clifden on his right, and Creole and Tyke lying up. As they descended the hill into the bottom, Lady Clifden appeared to have somewhat the best of it; but on reaching the distance she was headed by Soapstone, who made his effort at the Stand, but was baaten after a show of a fight by half a length; Lady Clif den finished a bad third. The others were beaten off some distance, The Gentlemen's Derby of 100 sovs, added: to a sweep stakes of 10 sovs each, for 3-yr-olds and upwards, weight for age; winning penalties and maiden allowance. Two miles. 11 subs. Mr William Day's Joco, 4 yrs, 12st lib (inc 101 b extra) (Mr W. Bevill) 1 Lord Uxbridge's Welbeck, 3 yrs, 105 t.... (Mr Edwards) 2 Marquis of Hastings's Tippler, 4 yrs, list 101 b (inc 51b extra) (Mr 11. Wombwell) 3 Marquis of Hastings's Trumps, 4 yrs, list 51b (Mr Wilkinson) 4 Betting-6 to 4 agst Tippler, and 3to 1 egg Joco. Joco made the running, followed by Welbeck, the pair as they prcceecied along the hill side being upwards of 50 lengths in advance of their followers. On reaching the mile post Joco was pulled back, and the favourite was indulged with the command, which he retained to the enclosure, where Joco came out and won a fine race by a head. Wel beck defeated Tippler by three lengths for second place, and Trumps was beaten off. The Danebury Nursery Stake; a free handicap of 10 sous each, 5 ft, with 200 added, fur 2.3 r-olds. T.Y.C. 20 subs. Mr W. Day's Venus colt, Get 121 b Lord Portsmo u th' s Th e Mi ss i onary, let 101 b (car 78t .111 b) (Fordham) 2 Mr E. Ex ayley's The Star, 6st, 131 b (Cannon) 3 The following also ran :—British Queen, Czarina, Love. lace, Birague, Cedric, Siberia, Lo Mexicain, Sympathy, Gipsy Boy, Gomera, Hypocrite colt, Lop .ear, Lay Sister, Lansdown, and Magic. Betting•-.• 100 to 30 agst the Venus colt, sto 1 agst Pepper's Ghost, 0 to 1 agst Birague, 100 to 15 agst The Missionary, 10 to 1 agst Czarina, and 20 to 1 each agst Cedric, British Queen, Le Mexicain, The Star, and Magic. The favourite, lying in the centre, made the running, with a clear lead, having as his immediate followers Magic, Lovelace, and The Star, on his left, and Pepper's Ghost, Missionary, Czarina, and Le Mexicain on the lower ground. In these positions they ran nearly in a line to the rails,where they split, leaving the three placed in front. At the stand, Fordham, who had been biding his time, came with a rush, and got up to the quarters of the favourite, who . however, shot in advance when called upon, Missionary beat The Star by three lengths; Siberia was fourth, Birague fifth, Gomera sixth, and Czarina next, rear British Queen, who appe are d t o have got badly off, b r i ng i ng up the . The Westmoreland I'late (handicap), of 50 sovs, added to a sweepstakes of 5 sovs each. New mile. Mr J. Lowe's Anglo-Saxon, 3 yrs, 7st 101 b (car 7st 111 b) (Fordham) 1 Mr Crawford' s C ro t c h et h orse, 6 yrs, 7st 9lb Mr Craven's Littl e S avage, 3 yrs, sst 7lb Giimsh aw ) 2 (J. Grimsh) 3 The following a l so ran : — lnnellan, Man at Arms, Rag Muezzin, Muezzin, Antoinette, an d J ane Shore. Betting-2 to 1 against Anglo-Saxon; sto 2 agst Little Savage; 8 to 1 against the Crochet horse, and 100 to 8 agst Innelan. The Crochet horse took the lead on the lower ground, fol lowed in the centre of the course by Little Savage, the fa vourite and Innellan, Jane Shore lying up, on their extreme left. They ran thus to the enclosure, when Mr Crawford's horse appeared to have the best of it, but in a few strides further Fordham brought up the favourite and won cleverly at last by half a length, three lengths between second and third ; Innellan was fourth, with Man at Arms close up. The others were widely spread, Raglan bringing up the rear. The Portsmouth Plate of 50 sovs added to a sweepstakes of 5 sovs each, for 2yr olds ; colts, Bst 101 b; fillies, Bst 71b. The winner to be sold for £lOO. T.Y.C. 15 subs. Marquis of Hastings's Lady Egidia, Bst 71b , (Judd) 1 Lord Portsmouth's Vell e d a co l t, B at 101 b ...... (Wells) 2 Mr W. Day's Sis. to th e (Tillie, Bst 71b (S. Adam) 3 Betting-6 to 4o n th e V e ll eda colt, who made play to s the enclosure, where Lady Egidia headed hint, and won cleverly by a length, a bad third. The winner was bought in for 280 guineas. The Railway Plate of 50 sovs, added to a sweepstakes of 5 soya each, for 2 yr olds, &C. ; colts, Bst 101 b ; fillies and geldings, Bst 71b. Selling allowances. T.Y.C. Mr W. Day's Miss Sellon colt, Bst, £100.... (S. Adams) 1 Mr R. Ten Broeck's Forester, Bsr. 51b, £200.. (Fordham) 2 Marquis of Hastings's Lady Egidia, let 111 b, £lOO _ Bowbell, Ki ng o f Greece, and Dacula also ran.(Deacon) 3 Betting -5 to 4on Miss Sellon colt, sto 2 agst Lady Egidia, and 4 to 1 agst King of Greece. The favourite, who got badly off, caught his horse half way in the distance, and won, after a fine race home with Forester, by half a length ; the same distance between the second and third ; and a head between the third and fourth. The winner was bought in. The Stewards' Plate of 100 sovs, added to a sweep stake of 10 soya each, h ft, for 3 yr olds and upwards, weight for age, with maiden allowances. Two miles. 33 subs, Marquis of Hastings' Tippler, 4 yrs, Bst 131 b.. (Judd) w.o. Match, £2OO. 50 ft. Bush in. Marquis of 'listings' Lady Egidia, Bst 71b, received forfeit from Duke of St. Albans' Kill'Gm-and-Eat'ern, Bst 101 b. Match, £3OO. 50 ft. Bush in. Marquis of Hastings' Andromeda, Bst 71b, received for feit from Duke of St. Albans' Super Stay, Bst 10Ib. Match, £2OO. 50 ft. Bst 81b each. Bush in. Duke of Beaufort's Chevretto received forfeit from Lord Uxbridge's Fly the Trapper of A tppt. Match, £2OO. 50 ft. Bst 101 b each. Bush in. Marquis of Hastings' The Duke received forfeit from Lord Uxbridge's Mario. LATEST BETTING. NCIRTHUMBERLA.ND PLATE. Bto 1 aga Caller Ou (taken freely) SPIRIT OP THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TRIES.--After the very large minorities, not to say majorities, whipped up against Government on questions of more or leas importance, it is creditable to the sense of the House that only 118 members were found to support Mr. Morritt's resolution last evening. The House of Commons has very properly decided that no Parliament has a right to fetter the judgment of any future Parliament upon a question, all the conditions of which can only be known when the time arrives for the actual deeision. The imnro priety of such an anticipation appeats at once from the fact, that since the repeal of the Beer Duty, tl5 years ago, there has never yet been en occasion on which any nuneber of Conservative members would say we ought to have repealed the Malt Tax or largely reduced it. Of course we say this not for getting the repeal of the paper duty, which, it may be said, was neither a matter of urgency nor of general relief, and cost the revenue as much as the remission of a third of the malt tax would have done. But it so happens that when the paper duty was abolished, not without a vigorous protest from the Lords, the taxes put in competition with it were those on tea and sugar, not that on malt. Mr. Morritt himself confines his own anticipation to the possible day when a surplus of several millions will allow us to remit two millions of indirect taxation. But when that day arrives, malt will not be the only applicant for relief. Spirits, wine, tea, coffee, and sugar will ask to be heard. It is true they must be taken in turn, bat the turn of malt has not yet come, and may not come yet for many a day. What was asked, therefore, last night was that the House of Commons should make a pledge which it could only bequeath to its successors—perhaps to its remote posterity. If, too, it be answered that paper forced its way by virtue of a promise long given, and that malt cannot do better than follow so good an example by asking a pledge beforehand, then, as the Chancellor of the Exchequer justly observes, this is to admit the injustice and inexpediency of all such pledges. If a great wrong was done by the remission of the paper duty in the face of stronger claims, and that wrong was done through the power of an old pledge, then let us have no such pledges, and let every Parliament be left fully master of its own actions. Nobody has a right to encroach on the just inheritance of his burvivuto, or to use any office so as to diminish the power and opportunities of his successors in it. Yet this is what Mr, Morritt asked last night, and what the House of Commons declined. Since the utmost that Mr. Merritt could demand was a pledge to be re deemed by some other Parliament, at some distant day, the debate itsel could have no more than a purely prospective and hypothetical character. It could only resemble the Ineubrations of a young man thinking what he will do with the patrimony of his uncles and cousins and elder brothers, should all happen to die before he does. Such speculations may be amusing, but they are unpractical, and on that account are not so governed by co s esiderations of utility and prudence as when a man is under a positive obligation to do somethiog with the tend he stands on, the house he lives in, or the money in his pocket. Nobody can apply the same amount of reason to a question which may or may not have to be settled within the next 20 years as to art im mediate emergency. Hence the discussion last night was simply such as might take place at a de bating society or a smoking-room, upon some casual suggestion. Even malt was hardly done justice to, and though its rivals, wine, spirits, and tea, and even cider, made an appearance, they were not pro perly represented. Malt came in its old character, the Sir John Barleycorn of Christmas festivities. To trust his flatterers, he is a most respectable, inoffen sive, healthy, and useful personage. He never makes you drunk ; you can never have too much of his ac quaintance ; he will not hurt a bone of your body ; he will never tempt you to exceed the limits of tem perate refreshment. The invention of spirits has always been referred to the most questionable of agencies; wino has never acquired an indisputable moral position ; but malt claims a positive goodness. It expects you to believe that it makes men honest, kind, and wise. In wine there is truth, says the proverb ; but in malt liquor are all the cardinal virtues, and a good many other excellent qualities. There is no chance for England, Ireland, and Scot land, we seem to hear, till every cottager shall either brew his own beer, strong, good, and plenty of it, or be able to buy it cheap and good. Even the Irish, we are told, when they do take to hard work, find a barrel of beer the best companion. The Scotch were once beer-drinkers ; and it was not till they had spoilt their tastes, weakened their digestions, and impaired their faculties by untaxed tea, hardly more than a century ago, that they had to seek a stronger stimulant in whisky. Only let them hove untaxed beer, and they will give up the liquid fire that plays such work with Scotch livers and makes Scotch Puritanism an hypocrisy. Such are the comparative qualities of malt liquor and all other stimulating, comforting, tonic, or sedative drinks in the scale of a proposition which only desired to pledge Parliaments yet to be elected, and legislators yet to be born. Such a mode of treat ing the question—natural as it was under the cir cumstances—can hardly be called serious, and cannot pretend to be conclusive. It remains to be proved whether it is in the power of Parliament to make malt liquor take the place of its much vilified rivals, even by cheapening it ; and whether, after all, people do not generally choose the stimulant that suits best their constitutions and circumstances. Resple know by their own feelings what stimulant most immediately and effectually sets them up, composes them, calms the nerves, and puts the vital powers into healthy and harmonious action ; and if habit has much to do with the greater effiney of one agent as compared with another, so also have diet, occupation, and the state of health. But, however it may stand with other stimulants, we must protest against such a laudification of malt liquor as seems to make it the duty of Parliament tq relieve it at once from all share in the national burdens. A sufficient quan tity of strong beer, be it ever so sound, instead of invigorating a man, will render him incapable, and destroy his constitution. It may not make him nervous, like strong tea; it may not make him fight the first comer, like whisky; it may not make him into a Frenchman, as yin ordinaire is supposed to do; but it will make him stupid, sleepy, idle, worth less, and not uniformly peaceable. Oar labourers do their work and retain their strength on very weak potations, nor do they always do their work better when they can get at stronger beer. The farmer who is proud of his brewing, and who tries to get extra work by larger allowances, is often a terror to his nei g hb ours an d disappointed in the results. It may be almost laid down as a rule that whatever stimulates above a certain point, which may be assumed to be the standard of healthy existence, weakens in the end. The excitement to the brain relaxes the nerves. Beer only operates by the alcohol in it, and cannot produce effects very different from alcohol diluted with water. We do not say that we should not be glad indeed to see some millions taking an occasional glass of beer more than they do now, but it certainly is an exag geration to extol malt liquor as if it was an object worth a national sacrifice to increase its consump tion. POST.—The Cabinet will meet today to take into its most serious consideration the momentous ques tion which England has presently to answer in the face of Europe, and on Monday next Lord Palmer ston will state to the House of Commons the course of action which, under existing circumstances, her Majesty's Govern inent propose to adopt to maintain and uphold the honour and interests of the Crown and the country. There is naturally great anxiety on this subject. The vast importance of the issue is, however, fully apprehended, and the public impa tience is controlled by an overruling sense of confi dence in the Premier. Nor is it less satisfactory that her Majesty's Government is sustained at such a moment by the assurance that any measures which may be necessary to restore peace on an equitable and permanent basis will receive cordial and con sentaneous support. This sensibly reduces the diffi culty of the situation ; and, though it undoubtedly increases the responsibility of the Cabinet, there is happily a mutual good understanding subsisting between the Premier and the country which 7en dere the burden one that can be borne with upright fidelity. Public opinion on this question have been somewhat roug hly f o rmed, utt. a genuine and ferve n tly en t er t a ined s indisputable. The people thi n k no w mu ch the sameh t may have as Nelson ys i some fifty-nine years ago—"We hay a very power ful fleet, and are not to be held cheap and t h ey believe, as he did, that, no matter how stron g t h e i r enemies may be, if they could get at the m t h ey would " give them such a shaking as they never yet experienced." This may be said to convey the popular answer to the rather indiscreet and taunt ing assumptions of the German papers, and the more reserved, but not less offensive, arrogance of the Prussian Government. At the sam3 time, it i s perfectly underst oo d t h at the impulsive feelings of a nation must b e we i g h ed and filtered in the ciuncils of a cabicet. Whatever course England is about to take w ill not b e dictated by passion. This miserable war, which will in a few hours be commenced again, was, we k now, i nst i ga t e d as Innen by fear as by ambition. It was to escape from her internal difficulties that Prussia drew the sword and dragged Austria with her to the brink of a European precipice. A strong Power would have resisted the pressure to which a weak Power yielded. Her M a j es ty' s G overnmen t will not be coerced by clamour. N or w ill factious threats interfere with the fulfim en t o f a n imperative obli gation. The Cabinet d oes no t me et this afternoon to calculate its voting power in the House of Com• mons, or to adopt its policy to any real or sup• posed party exigency. 1,-)rd Palmerston is in. capable of such contemptible paltering With duty. It is not for us to anticipate the state.* ment that will be made on Monday, nor to say' whether it will or will not be accepted by tbs house ; but that it will he inconsistent with the, character, or in opposition to the antecedents, Of the great statesman who makes it, it is not believed even by those who have the hardihood to contradict the faith and reason of the English people. Prime Minister's reply to Mr. Disraeli's question on Thursday has, however, been described as apolo— getic and deprecatory, and it is assumed that . the _l3 tatement to be made on Monday will be alarming. It is departing from our practice to notice these rude and probably unauthorised assaults, en i d Nve only ad7ert to them in this instance because, n• the agitation and impatience of the hour, any b o ldly affirmed rumour obtains a hearing. Sucb randosi assertions cannot affect the result, but the , ' In. 5 . 5 : contribute to the aggravation of an excitement wise to endeavour to moderate. Any one '°'h i thinks before he speaks on this subject must ▪ nevi; tably come to the conclusion that, as far as &On' and the English Minister are concerned, there I,s nothing to be ashamed of, to be afraid of, or to bo uncertain about. The protocols of the Conference: will show that this country has made every eff° l ' to preserve peace, and that surely is not B matter for apology. The Conference, too, if it-Was proposed by the Government, was sanctioned by Parliamen_t, and by no perversion of argument can its failure be' laid at the door of the British Cabinet. In point of fact, very few, we apprehend, ever believed that the Conference would succeed ; but it was felt , and the Opposition shared in the feeling, that we ough t to exhaust all means of obtaining a pacific soloti °l3 , of the pending difficulty. But now, when ghat was from the first to be expected has come to P ass and the Government have to shape their CO3 accordingly, it is predicted that their policy. W 1; alarm and astonish the Christian and eiviliset: world. It is exceedingly difficult to de" calmly with such language used in such s' crisis. We believe, however, that, so far from causing alarm, the Ministerial statement No express firmly, but temperately, the sentiments o ' . the country . That we may be compelled to take part in a war we have done our utmost to bring t a conclusion by negotiation, is probable. But le : England af ra id e e un p re p are d f or war ? Are ships rotten ? Are our arms runty ? vo we s hrill , . from the sound of a trumpet? Is the spirit o f the nation dead ? A day or two will show how t r . founded these suspicions are, and perhaps also oe r : monstrate the motives which inspired them. I S e t do not imagine that any measures the Governmen: may propose to Parliament in the national inter est will reconcile the Opposition to exclusion from office, and for obvious reasons they are now most violen tl y assailing the Premier. But we are satisfied that the country will consider its honour before the s in ; bition of a party, and that, it the people are Ca to pronounce their opinion, it will be made manifest that at no period of his long and eventful career w il t i : Lord "" Palmerston more conspicuously than he s the Minister of England. COUNTRY MARKETS. LIVERPOOL—FRIDAY. There was a fair attendance to-day of both the town and country trade, who showed considerable dispositio! l l ° get into stock. Wheat met with a brisk demand, chil d ' speculative, and a good business doing, at an advance of, per contal upon Tuesday's prices. Flour was also B°llo,l' after, and may be quoted fully Gd dearer. Oats and . 0 " meal had an improved feeling, and at rather better PrT e ,, 6 ,; Barley, beans, and peas all held for more money. 1 0 1" 1 ",d corn attracted considerable Attention, and American mil' sold freely at 29s 3d. STAMFORD—naiDAY. White wheat, 40s to 42s ; red, 37s to 40s per .36 stone' Earley, malting, 32s to 345; grinding, 28s to 32s per q m r. Oats, 20s to 24s per 24 stone. Beans, old, 40s to * -6 1 1— qr. ; new, 38s to —s. LINCOLN—FRIDAY. White wheat new, 408:to 42s Barley, grinding.. 26 s to 2 9 Red do. 36s to 40s Oats, old, 2 49 to 2 63 Old white —s to —s New:do 20s to 23e Red do.. zip —s I Beans.. 37 5 t o 403 _Barley, malting....32s to 34s 1 Beans, new 33$ to 353 WAKEFIELD—FRIDAY. The wheat trade:was fair to-day, at an advance of is to 2s per qr over Friday's prices. Beans and peas were ra ther dearer. Averages for the week : Wheat 2,259 qrs., at 4os 9d Rye - — 8ar1ey...,..... 118 Oats — .. —s Od CORK—THURSDAY. The following were the quotations this morning :--Erd , wheat, 8s Od to 8s 10d ; white, 8s Od to 9 s 8 d , barley, s Id to Os Ocl; oats, Gs 6d to 68 8d ; black do., 5s 6tl tt) 58 Bd. BRISTOL SUGAR-FRIDAY. There has been a healthy feeling in the market this week. Refiners' produce sells steadily at late rates, The demand for rum is limited, and no sales of sufficient magnitude to warrant us in quoting them. COAL a ?Noes of Coal per Ton al t the close of the marker s. d. Eden Main l6 3 Hastings Hartley l6 3 ranfield Moor l3 6 Wylam 16 0 s. (1. Walls End. tras;rell ..... ... 17 6 Hough Hall 16 9 1i..... elloe l6 6 South /idiot.' ......... 16 9 Byron ..... .16 ° Gosforth ............ 15 9 Braddyll's Hetton ..... 16 9 t, 74 ; sold, 59. Walls End. Harton 15 9 Hartlepool ..17 0 Ships at market THE OPERATIVES OF AsHToN-UNDER.LTN EP' At the weekly meeting of the Ashton-under - 1ii, 11 , 6 Board of Guardian s y es t er d a y, th e R ev . T. Radley presid ing, ing, the following petiti on was p res ented by a deputatio n five men representing th e oa k um pi c k ers and the men vg ) r k i ; ing on the roads ;—" O ur o bj ec t i n appearing before 9 °u this morning on behalf of the men working on the rood° and the oakum pickers, is-1. To respectfully ask of you to be kind enough to allow them the back pay which has 12°6 : 1 stopped for their not working the ex t ra ti me re quired fr °l- them last week. 2. That the men may have a prope? and nite understanding from your board what time they have t© work, and that there may be no alteration made froVi "- statement on their cards in this respect. 3d. That, should any of the men give a satisfactory reaso n f o r w i s hing to go ° upon any urgent necessity, they may be allowed to do on; but they wish your Board to direct who shall be the' proper person or persons to apply to for that purpose, as hitherto they have not known to whom such applicatioot should be made." The deputation havin g made a vol l) , 6 . statement of their willingness to work, th en retired.—T he Chairman moved :—" That in consequence of the mist a ' which seems to have b ee n p reva l en t w ith regard ,„,a the numbers of hours and to the time required to be worke d ' and also that a great number of those who did so misunde r ' stand would have worked had it not been for intimidati ons and also that, as the men now have a respectful demeanour, and are desirous to carry out the resolution of the Board, that the request which they have m ade this morning, that the back money should be paid to them, shall be acceded to as a matter of grace, but not of right; and the guardians wish to state that this has bees with the consent and approval of the inspector."- -113 : 1 motion was seconded by Mr Clay, and adopted ling''' mously,—The deputation were then called in, and tlao Chairman, having informed them of the decision of tb° Board, expressed a hope that from the presen t time there would be no more trouble, but that the original resolution of the Board requiring tb° men to work seven hours a day and four days a week, would be carried out.—Mr Corbett also addressed a few' words to the deputation. He said tho time worked in the Ashton Union was no more than that worked in other unions, so that they could have no ground to complain of of being unjustly treated. —The deputation thanked the Board for their kindness, assuring them that in consequence of their pay being stopped many families were in very dis tressed circumstances. Births. ITT°. n j the hn B 2 e 2 r d e st inst., or doaftaTshoen.Rectory, Bedale, BuLwER —On th e 18th inst , at Harley-street, the wife - Lieut.-Colo ne l E . G. Bul W of er, C. 8., 23d Fusiliers, of 0 son. BE th n:s H r o o n n . ni O'BRIEN.—On the 21st inst., at Belmore, near Bishop's Waltham, the Hon. Mrs. O'Brien, of a son and heir. Marriages. CORDON—GRANT.—On th e 23d i ns t., a t Elthant, Dent' Charles Henry William Gordon, Esq., of Newtinibe,. place, Sussex, to Lucy, on ly d aug h ter o f C o l o nel Grant, R.A., of Southend, Eltham, Kent. SOTHEBY—ADEANE.—On the 23d inst., at St. Go orge; 3 s : Ranuver-square, Captain Edward S. Sotheby, C• B'' Naval A.D.C. to the Queen, second son of the late Au miral Thomas and Lady Mary Anne Sotheby, to Lue9 Elizabeth. second surviving daughter of the late Heal John Adeane, Esq., of Babreham, Cambridgeshire. Deaths. ---- BUTCH.—On the 221 inst., at The Rectory House, th ° Rev. James Blatch, B.D , formerly Fellow of Magd?lell , College, Oxford, and for 53 years resident vicar of Bowl; stoke, aged 90. GORDON.—On the 22d inst.. at Paris, after severe sufferitsgy of pneumonia, Mr, Ernest C. Fitzroy Gordon, aged 24. LEIGHTON.—On the 21st inst., at Bradford on-Av oof Sarah Catharine, wife of th e Rev. Baldwin F. Leigh t°u ' and eldest daughter of the late Rev. Sir Rich. Hugh° , Bart., of East Bergnolt, Suffolk, aged 62. MATTHEWS.—On the 22d inst., Mr. William Matthescg, solicitor, Gloucester, aged 42. SMART.—On the 22d inst., at No. 11, East-crescent) Mar gate, Mr. James Smart, aged 52, London : Prira,:,d and Prbilshed by WILLLA.3I.A.ND REITS ,, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at 'I nE SUN office ` o • / 1- : Strand, in the Precinct of the savoy, n the Ccunil 0 3 AllddlXoeX,—Saturday, June 25,1861.